Last Resort: Blue on Blue

Okay, so I don’t know if it’s because I don’t have much military knowledge or it’s because I’m still at the point of not knowing everyone’s names, but I found this episode of Last Resort confusing. I thought the pilot did a great job of introducing the characters, but this episode had me saying, “Who is that? Why are they there? Well, how is that person involved?” It wasn’t enough to make me want to discontinue watching the show, but it did make me think I need to make a posterboard graphic showing myself how all of these characters are related. So what happened in this semi-convoluted episode?

It picked up the day after the events in the pilot. Things have escalated quickly since then – the military has sent other submarines to test the 200-mile radius Chaplin had instituted and he’s not happy. In retaliation, he decides to test the anti-radar prototype device that Kylie Sinclair, a weapons lobbyist in DC, has on board the Colorado. Lo and behold, it works! The Colorado bumps another sub with a torpedo by surprise and needless to say, the American government is none too happy.

When the crew gets back on land, they notice a passenger jet flying closer than the 200-mile no fly zone. They assume the government has sent a squad of Deltas to confront the new island inhabitants, so Sam and Grace create a team to go attack them. First stop: Navy SEAL James, whom they picked up last episode. They want advice and help, but James tells them they’re going to get killed. Way to be positive, James!

Before they can go on their mission, Sam gets a call from his wife who is currently being held for questioning by shady-looking government agents. At first she tells him they are offering him amnesty if he gives them the sub and Chaplin, but then blurts out, “Don’t trust them, whatever they say to you! Whatever they say, don’t trust it!” Way to make him feel great before he goes out on a potentially life-threatening mission, Christine!

Back in DC, Sinclair is on a mission herself. She needs to speak to her mole in the Defense Department about what is happening with the Colorado. He tells her the Perseus Prototype works and she is thrilled, but he brings her back down to Earth by telling her if the government gets a hold of it, everything will be taken from her. Later on in the episode, we see the mole is now in a brain-dead coma. This just has not been anyone’s couple of days, has it?

As Sam and Grace prepare for their mission, the imprisoned Chief of Boat basically tells those guarding him – who are about to join Sam and Grace – to kill them. Grace realizes this and tells them when they reach their destination (an open field) to wait until the mission is over to shoot her in the back.

When the Delta squad appears, Sam must decide if he’s going to shoot his fellow Americans. He ultimately decides against it and walks out into the field, telling them he is unarmed and just wants to talk. While speaking to them, Chaplin tells him through his earpiece, “They’re not Deltas! They’re Russian Spetznaz!” Uh oh.

As you can imagine, Chaplin isn’t pleased. He gets a Russian leader, Viktor (really, Last Resort, Viktor? Really?), on the phone. Viktor and Chaplin discuss the days of the Cold War, when they stopped fighting to save a soldier. The point of the conversation was to show war isn’t always black and white and then Chaplin flips the other phone line open to show the Secretary of Defense has been listening in the whole time. He orders Viktor to pull back his men, but it’s too late; they’re already fighting with Sam, Grace, and the crew.

And when I say fighting, I mean fighting. Grace is badly injured – shot in the arm and bleeding from her face – and is just about to be killed by a Russian when James comes out of nowhere and saves the day.

All in all, the Colorado loses five men and takes a couple of prisoners. One of the survivors wants to kill the POWs, but Chaplin makes another inspiring anti-violence speech. Unfortunately the imprisoned COB has been watching the whole time and tells everyone watching a secret – Chaplin’s son, who is in the Army and has only been seen in pictures and videos thus far, has been killed by friendly fire. The COB tells everyone he thinks Chaplin’s whole plan is retaliation against the government who took his son away from him and Chaplin just walks away.

To me, the montages at the end were some of the best scenes of the episode. At the bar, Grace and James discuss the fallen soldiers, Sam tells Chaplin he is allowed to grieve over his son, and we see video flashbacks of Sam saying his wife is the one good thing in his life and of Chaplin’s son telling him he loves him. Emotional stuff, people!

Like I said, there was a lot going on in this episode. What did you think about it? Did you enjoy it as much as the pilot? Are you still as confused about who is who as I am? Did you feel this episode got the ball rolling or was too much storyline too soon? And most importantly, will you be tuning in again next week?Rating: 3 out of 5 stars